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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22787554">Circumstances</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heartwriter2607/pseuds/Heartwriter2607'>Heartwriter2607</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Archie Comics, Barchie - Fandom, Betty/Archie - Fandom, Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, I just love Betty and Archie... kind of the only reason I still watch this show, first fanfiction in english, slowburn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:14:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22787554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heartwriter2607/pseuds/Heartwriter2607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Jughead is gone, Archie. And so is the past. Betty can smile again, and the simple reason for that is you. Sadly, we don’t get to choose the circumstances that we fall in love in. And it’s unfair that it happened the way it did. But that won’t change the fact that you and Betty are meant to be together. You always were. You always will. And call me crazy – I don’t think that anyone can make you two as happy as you are with each other. You can go and give her more time. But I know how you feel about her now and how she feels about you since forever – and I don’t think that time is ever going to change that.”</p><p>7 months after graduating at Riverdale High Veronica Lodge returns to Riverdale for a Christmas break&amp;realizes that the people she left behind aren’t the same ones she meets again at her return. </p><p>28 weeks after finally finishing school Archie Andrews life is turned upside down&amp;he slowly realizes that we can’t decide the way how, when or who we fall in love with.</p><p>215 days after the darkest point in her life Betty Cooper seems to understand that sometimes the worst circumstances can bring the lightest of times.</p><p>A story about Archie realizing his feelings for Betty.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Archie Andrews &amp; Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper, Barchie - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You have to let go to fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi to all the Betty &amp; Archie fans out there!<br/>This is my first Fanfiction and I'm so sorry if my english isn't the best. I'm german and trying the best I can! :)<br/>I started writing this short story for fun but then I thought - hey... why not post it to (maybe) get some feedback... </p><p>Hope you like it!<br/>And hope I wrote the words right... or choose the right tense... or whatever</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>7 months after graduating at Riverdale High Veronica Lodge returns to Riverdale for a Christmas break and realizes that the people she left behind aren’t the same ones she meets again at her return.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>28 weeks after finally finishing school Archie Andrews life is turned upside down and he slowly realizes that we can’t decide the way how and when or who we fell in love with.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>215 days after the darkest point in her life Betty Cooper seems to understand that sometimes the worst circumstances can bring the lightest of times.</em>
</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p> </p><p>22. December</p><p>„The kiss meant nothing… and why the hell are you bringing this up now, Ronnie?”</p><p>Veronica is shifting in her seat, pushing her chocolate milkshake to the side – a small gesture that helps her to reach the person sitting across from her.</p><p>It’s a cold december night in Riverdale. That kind of night where the snowflakes fly against the window beside them, making the glass freeze under their weight. A night where the christmas decoration is glowing with bright colors in the dark night, giving an early christmas feeling. It’s that kind of night where some kind of unbearable whisper is lingering in the air, that kind of magical and also mystical feeling Veronica felt in her very first night in this little town.</p><p>It is a magical place after all. Full of mystery. Full of drama. Full of feelings.</p><p>Archie Andrews is starring at his strawberry milkshake, doing everything in his power to avoid the gaze of his ex-girlfriend.</p><p>He was happy to hear that Veronica would come back from college for a week, visiting her old friends and family after over half a year away. But if he knew what conversation they would have, sitting down at <em>"Pop's"</em>  like in the good old times, he probably wouldn’t have agreed to meet her here.</p><p>“<em>Archiekins</em>… It’s been 7 months now…”.</p><p>A small, ironic smile is creeping on his face as he shakes his head in slow movements.</p><p><em>7 months</em>.</p><p><em>7 months</em> of grief. <em>7 months</em> of sadness. <em>7 months</em> in which everything and everyone he knew and loved seemed to change right in front of him, turning into something unexpected.</p><p>It’s been 7 months since they lost Jughead. Over half a year since Veronica left Riverdale to go to Harvard… to live the life she always deserved.</p><p>7 months since everything Archie tried to hold together, started to fall apart in his hands.</p><p>Months full of slowly realizing that all of this is real. That all that crap from the last 2 years really happened. It’s been a while since he thought about what actually happened in this town since Veronica appeared. It’s like her appearance shook something loose. Like her light, dancing steps in those damn high heels brought some kind of unnatural horror to Riverdale, that followed them all the way to their High School graduation and left with the dark-haired girl, as soon as she left this cursed town behind.</p><p>“You say that the kiss between you and Betty in the night that you haunted the Black Hood doesn’t mean anything?” Her voice is almost mocking in a way he didn’t hear in a long time. That’s why he has to look up to see her face as she speaks, trying to read something in her expression.</p><p>“That’s right. I told you that over a year ago and I’m saying the same thing today. It was nothing. Just something that happened because we were both scared”.</p><p>Their eyes lock and for a few seconds and he knows that this isn’t working. <em>She knows</em>.</p><p>Knows about his feelings… or how his feelings changed in the last few months.</p><p>With Jughead gone and Veronica leaving town something shifted in his relationship with Betty. At first, he didn’t even notice it. But after all this evenings he spent with her – <em>really got to know her again</em> – it started to dawn on him.</p><p>This blond girl that was right under his nose nearly every single day of his life… somehow was <em>everything</em> to him. He never realized how much he missed her while they both were in different relationships. They never talked to each other; they didn’t even saw each other in weeks. They had Ronnie and Jug for such things back then.</p><p>But spending time again with Betty this last few months made something clear to him.</p><p>
  <em>Betty is his person.</em>
</p><p>In more than in one way.</p><p>Or how else should he explain the feelings that seemed to grow in him every single day the last few months, slowly coming to the surface before he was able to push them down again, trying his best to ignore them.</p><p>The last years he had other priorities. There was always something to do, the days went on with topics like football, Veronica, homework, mom, boxing, the kids from the street and then all of that over again.</p><p>And now all the sudden his old interests are back just like that. It feels weird thinking about it… like someone put a reset-button in his head and he pulled it the second it became summer this year.</p><p>And suddenly he lived his old life again. A much simpler life. A life he understood, a life he didn’t know how much he had missed before he got it back. He is making music again. He plays the guitar like he never stopped, and he loves every second of it. And that’s not just because some blonde girl with bright blue eyes was sitting beside him this last few months, applauding him every time he finished a song and tried helping him wherever he needed her.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe that’s why he started to fall for Betty.</em>
</p><p>It’s like he couldn’t even do anything about it. It was easy. It was simple. It was just like breathing – the most natural thing in life.</p><p>She was there when he woke up, even when it was just the usual “<em>Good morning</em>” message on his phone. She was there when he made breakfast, sitting on the kitchen counter, laughing at him when he accidently burned all the pancakes. She was there when he made his lunch break at <em>"Fred's <span>constructions"</span>,</em> even brought him some of his favorite candy to cheer him up when he was having a bad day. She sat beside him when he watched football games on TV, reading in one of her books while he screamed at the players on the screen.</p><p>She was always there.</p><p>And that was something that no one was for him for a long time.</p><p> </p><p>“Oooor maybe…” Veronica started with a little smile on her face, bringing him back from his memories “You say that this kiss didn’t mean anything because you are scared to admit that in reality it meant so much more than any of you two could admit at that time”.</p><p>She takes a sip from her chocolate milkshake as Archies heart drops to his stomach.</p><p>“Ronnie…”.</p><p>“No… wait, let me finish”. Another sip from the shake, another few seconds of awful long silence. “You and Betty are so much more than the best friends you always say you are…at the time we were together I didn’t see that… well I didn’t <em>want</em> to see. But now that I have… let’s say a more neutral view on all of this… it’s so clear as the night sky”.</p><p>“What do you see?”</p><p>She rolls her big brown eyes, smiling at him with a warm expression. <em>It’s just like how it used to be</em>, he thinks. The same two people, the same old place… just not the same emotions.</p><p>“I see the love between you two”, she explains with a soft voice, grabbing his hand on top of the table. “And I think you see it too…”.</p><p>He can’t say anything. What would he be if he answered this question? A traitor? A guy who fell for another girl just weeks after his girlfriend broke up with him to avoid a long distant relationship?</p><p>“I know that face… and there is nothing you need to feel sorry for, Archie”.</p><p>God he can’t even look at her.</p><p>Her fingers are stroking over his hand as she whispers “…look at me Archie”.</p><p>He lifts his gaze, meeting her stare.</p><p>“You love Betty. There is NOTHING wrong about it.”</p><p>He shakes his head, eyes on their joined hands on the table. <em>“Everything </em>about this is wrong”. He finally admits it. He looks at Veronica and instead of anger he finds her nearly happy at his revelation.</p><p>“I broke her heart that night at the school dance some years ago. I saw how much I hurt her in her eyes, I… it’s been <em>years</em> and I still think about that sometimes”.</p><p>“I know”. Veronica is putting on a hopeful smile while she strokes some hair behind her ear. “She told me about that… but Archie, do you remember what exactly you told her that night?”</p><p>A silly laugh escapes his mouth as he leans back, running his hands through his hair. “Trust me, I wish I could forget it…”. For a moment he stares at the ceiling, flashbacks from the prom night speeding through his mind. “I told her that I can’t give her the answer she wants. That I’m not good enough for her…”.</p><p>He waits until she says something to that, lowering his gaze to meet hers.</p><p>“And how about now?”, she says quietly. “What would you answer her today? Are you good enough?”</p><p>The ticking from the clock on the wall beside them is louder than his breathing, as he tries to think about that question.</p><p>“I wish I would be”, he says slowly. “But I’m afraid I’m not”.</p><p>Veronica is reaching for his hand again, which is tapping nervously on the table, helplessly trying to avoid the shallow feeling that is rising in his chest.</p><p>“Archie, listen to me carefully, okay? Betty loved you for like <em>forever</em>. You remember the time I met her, right around that time when I first came in this town? She was crazy about you. The first few times I hang out with her, the only topic was <em>you</em>. It’s always been you… I know… I know that the last year was tough. Losing Jughead… losing your dad… the story with Bettys brother… that all was some crazy stuff and we all needed some time to process that.”</p><p>She swallows and stares at their joined hands for a few seconds, the loss of an old friend hanging in the air like a ghost. <em>He will never go away. He will forever be missed.</em></p><p>“I came back to Riverdale yesterday because I thought you two needed someone to cheer you both up. I expected to find two broken souls in this misty town.” A smile is creeping on her face. “But you know what I found? I found two of my dearest friends, holding so much onto hope and happiness that I had to blink twice to understand that I was seeing clear. I thought you two were going to be miserable… and that’s why it broke my heart, leaving you guys. But I’m so, so happy that you grew so close. Remember your childhood? Betty and you were a team! The last few years you grew apart but seeing you guys back together was… something unexpected but jet something so beautiful. Like it suddenly made sense. Coming back here made me realize that I’m no longer the one that owns your heart. I may have been the one for quite a time. But let’s be honest while saying that Betty has it so much more under control than I ever had, Archie”.</p><p>Her words are drifting through his mind, trying to make any sense.</p><p>“Jughead is gone, Archie. And so is the past. Betty can smile again, and the simple reason for that is <em>you</em>. Sadly, we don’t get to choose the circumstances that we fall in love in. And it’s unfair that it happened the way it did. But that won’t change the fact that you and Betty are <em>meant to be together</em>. You always were. <em>You always will</em>. And call me crazy but without talking bad about our past relationship – I don’t think that anyone can make you two as happy as you are with each other. You can go and give her more time. But I know how you feel about her now and how she feels about you since forever – and I don’t think that time is ever going to change that.”</p><p>He knows that she is right. But the thought that he could deserve a happy life with Betty made him sick. How is this fair? How is it fair that after all the bad things that he did in his life so far, made him worth something as pure as Betty?</p><p>“I’m not good enough for her. That didn’t change”, he mumbles.</p><p>“Are you even listening to me?” Her voice gets sharper this time. “You are the best thing for her! And she clearly is the best thing for you! Betty is beautiful and it won’t be long until someone notices that and will try to make a move. So either you step up a bit, pinch your hair –<em> cause jesus, have you looked in the mirror today</em> ?– go to her, and TELL her how you feel. Untill it’s too late”.</p><p>This time her words get to him. The feelings inside take a turn as he stares outside of the with christmas lights decorated window, starring into the snowy december-night.</p><p>“I’m sorry Ronnie, but I think I got to go… I have to-“.</p><p>“Go tell her... I told you this before Archie and I still believe it... your story with Betty isn't over”. She smiles at him as he looks at her and all he can answer is a soft nod.</p><p>
  <em>It’s like his body is taking over the control as he stands up and dissapears into the night, following his heart to the only light in his life that he ever really saw.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You have to let go to rise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"He wondered if they would ever speak about the intimacy they shared, grabbing each other’s hand whenever some dark moments from the past got to them.<br/>He never asked what exactly she thought about when she was laying in his arms, suddenly holding onto him as her life depended on it, gripping his shirt so tight he thought it could tear apart any second. He just knew that she was having bad dreams sometimes and that the only thing he could do for her was being there when she woke up, wiping the tears away."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi guys!<br/>Originally this story was supposed to have 2 chapters, but I split the last chapter into two peaces, so now there are 3 chapters. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>It's snowing outside, as Betty Cooper is sitting in her make up chair in her room, looking at her own reflection in the mirror in front of her. With her legs pulled up and arms wrapped around them she is doing something that became sort of a ritual the last few months.</p><p>She used to look in the mirror from time to time to see… well, she doesn’t even know what she expects from that unusual behavior. Maybe to see if she is still the same that she always used to be. Maybe to check if it were still the same blue eyes starring back at her. Maybe it was a chance to see if something changed in her gaze. If something dark is appearing in her eyes, something that she feared for a long time.</p><p>Betty used to believe the things that she got told.</p><p>
  <em>“You’re just like me Betty. You’re dark and dangerous just like your father”.</em>
</p><p>That she killed her own cat as a child wasn’t a memory that helped in such situations. There was a time where Betty was sure that there was something evil in herself. Something that she couldn’t quite understand… something that scared her.</p><p>You could say that all those dark thoughts, all those little moments of insecurity and doubting herself came to one big finale at the day last summer when they lost Jughead.</p><p>Betty thought she reached rock bottom before all this happened. But she was wrong.</p><p>Losing Jughead was something… something <em>unbearable.</em> It was simply not believable.</p><p>Believing that you killed your own boyfriend didn’t help in that time. And even though the truth came out pretty quickly and it was clear that Brad was the guilty one who tried to attach all the bloody mess to Betty… that didn’t help with feeling better about that.</p><p>She thought she knew real pain when she found out about the murder identity of her own father. Or when she found out that he died. When her own mother was choosing the farm over her own daughter.</p><p>But this… was something she would never heal from. That was for sure.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And then there was Archie.</em>
</p><p>Thinking back to the days when she was still in a relationship with Jughead she started to realize how little she saw of her old best friend in that time. Clearly, he was having a lot to do with school, Veronica and his boxing career. But it took some time for Betty to realize that she kind of lost the connection she had to her red-haired friend.</p><p>Losing Jughead and watching Veronica leaving Riverdale after their graduation should have been something that hurt. But the truth is that Betty didn’t feel something at all.</p><p>After Jugheads death her soul started to break into little pieces. Veronica took some of them with her as she left the town, crying as she hugged Betty one last time, whispering in her ear that no matter what, she would always be there for her.</p><p>July became August and there she was… the girl next door with the last few pieces of her soul, feeling nothing but the echo of grief and sadness. Going to college was something that disappeared out of her head completely and she didn’t even bother to search for something else.</p><p>What was the point of all this anyway?</p><p>What was left for her in this world after losing so much?</p><p> </p><p>She spent the summer days lying in bed, trying to sleep. Trying to get the images of death and sorrow out of her head. Trying to feel something else instead of pain. Trying to breath without crying.</p><p>The first day he came into her room she thought it was a dream. Just some hallucination, just like she got used to hear Jugheads voice in the night, listening to the soft whisper of a ghost who wasn’t even really there.</p><p>But it was Archie Andrews that sat beside her on her bed, mumbling words so soft and silent that she couldn’t even understand what he was saying. <em>Betty… Betty.</em></p><p>“<em>Arch</em>…”. She cried as his hand found hers in the dim light of this summer afternoon, pulling her to his chest as she clung to him, holding on for dear life.</p><p>Maybe that was the moment the pain stopped getting worse. Before that she felt like going under in an unbearable circle of pain, darkness, heartbreak, loss and guilt, getting deeper and deeper with each day.</p><p>But somehow it felt like Archie made that circle of horror slower, stopping the feeling of going under in all of this.</p><p>He came back into her life and never left it again.</p><p>She didn’t realize how much she missed him before he came back to her. Now she couldn’t begin to think about a future without him by her side.</p><p>The next few weeks were a blur of sleeping, crying and Archie, Archie, Archie.</p><p>It started when he came to check on her every evening, finding her in her room, mostly lying in bed. If she wasn’t already crying, she definitely was when he sat down at her side, sharing his pain with hers.</p><p>It wasn’t just Betty that lost Jughead this summer.<em> Archie lost him too.</em></p><p>At one evening she asked him to stay with her. She wasn’t planning to do it, but after talking to him for hours, passing midnight at one point and after some new tears were running over the tried ones she reached for his hand as he was trying to get up, mumbling a soft “<em>stay</em>”.</p><p>She was surprised that it didn’t took more words for him to stay with her.</p><p>They shared a bed in their childhood once I a while, when they were allowed to have a sleepover in primary school. But this was new.</p><p>She knew how it felt sleeping beside him as a child, but she never knew how it would feel if he was holding her in the night. Betty was worried that she may has crossed a line with her begging him to stay.</p><p>But he held her so close to his heart, arms wrapped around her so much stronger that she imagined, that she started to think that maybe… maybe he needed this just as much as she did.</p><p>This was the first night that the darkness couldn’t reach her, even when she turned off the light.</p><p> </p><p>Weeks turned into months and the grief Betty felt in the last summer slowly turned into something that was nearly bearable. The moments where she felt like she couldn’t breath became fewer and fewer and she tried to convince herself that Archie wasn’t the only reason for that.</p><p>The first time she smiled again was in October.</p><p>Archie’s mom was out of town for a weekend, leaving her son alone in the house. It was the Halloween morning when Betty came over after getting an invite from Archie for a pancake breakfast.</p><p>She sat on the kitchen counter, watching him trying to cook without burning the whole house down. He was talking about going to get some candy after breakfast, for the chance that some kids came to the house later, asking for some sweets, when the scent of burnt pancakes suddenly spread around the kitchen.</p><p>This, Archie’s swearing voice as he tried to save what was left so save from his glorious breakfast and the golden October morning sun that was suddenly shining through the kitchen window, brought the corners of Betty's mouth to twitch.  He turned around to her after opening the window to let in some fresh, cool morning air, and looked kind of shocked as she jumped to the kitchen floor.  It took her some time to realize that the reason for his surprised look was the laugh that was coming from her mouth.</p><p>It felt surreal. She hasn’t been laughing for months and doing it now surprised her just as much as she felt happy about it.</p><p>Archie put the pan in his hands down, took two big steps to her and lifted her up in his arms without hesitation. She laughed, putt her arms around his shoulders, smiling in his neck as he lifted her feed off the ground.</p><p>“I’m happy, Arch”. The words left her mouth without a second thought because it’s nothing but the truth. She hasn’t been feeling so happy for a long, long time.</p><p>He nods with his face in her hair, smiling through the happiness, taking in her scent of vanilla and strawberry shampoo. “I know, Betty… I’m happy too.”</p><p> </p><p>And just like that – the world started turning again.</p><p>At first very slow, in nearly scared, hesitating speed. But Betty’s life began for a second time and little by little it felt like the missing pieces of her soul were coming back to her.</p><p>Every time she started to get lost in emotions, her old-new best friend took her by the hand to show her the way out of this misery. Archie.</p><p>At some point she started to feel guilty for spending so much time with him, felt kind of a burden that he had to entertain instead of having fun and doing other things. But whenever she gave him some time to do other things, he was the one asking if she was free today.</p><p>So, she put the thought of sometimes maybe being too much for him aside and concentrated on the joy she felt whenever they were in each other’s company.</p><p>The months went by and Betty found her inspiration for writing again. At first, she started writing small articles as a kind of internship at her Mom’s work, later she wrote a 5 pages working article about Archie’s work.</p><p>The people always say that time heals every wound.</p><p>That may be true but if Betty would have waited for time to heal the pain she had felt, she would still be miserable today.</p><p>Her medicine was Archie and she was past the point where she thought selfish about this. He was the reason her whole day lighted up when they spent time together.</p><p>Time went by and it happened so slow that Betty didn’t even noticed it. Maybe it was because a part of her never stopped thinking about Archie in another way than being the best friends there always were.</p><p>Maybe that’s why she never noticed how her heart seemed to make a jump whenever he smiley at her, took her hand or even hugged her.</p><p>
  <em>The first time in her life Betty Cooper was completely clueless about her feelings for Archie Andrews.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was in the middle of December when an old friend announced her return to Riverdale.</p><p>“<strong>I’ll be there in 2 days. Can’t wait!! Xoxo</strong>” Veronica Lodge left this town in June and thinking back at this time just wasn’t something Betty and Archie were really up to.</p><p>Just half a year ago everything was different. The world was a happy place, until… it wasn’t anymore.</p><p>They all had to go through this drama on their own and somehow it changed all of them.</p><p>It was the night of the 20. December when Archie stepped into Bettys room, searching for the girl next door.</p><p>“Betty?”</p><p>It took a moment until he heard her voice through the bathroom door. “I’ll be right there! Just a second!”</p><p>So he sat down on her bed like he did nearly every single night the last 7 months, listening to Betty blow drying her hair through the door after her daily shower and smiling at the background music from the old Taylor Swift songs she used to love.</p><p>He let his eyes wander around the room, looking at the furniture he knows since too many years. His eyes got stuck on the pictures over Bettys bed, where she pinned them what felt like a lifetime ago.</p><p>With Bettys voice coming from the bathroom, humming the country music and the pictures of him and her right in front of his eyes, his lips curve into a smile.</p><p>
  <em>God, how he loved this girl.</em>
</p><p>His eyes wander over the pictures.</p><p>
  <em>Betty and Archie in kindergarten.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Betty and Archie at primary school.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Archie sitting at a table with a book in his hands, with Betty right beside him, teaching him how to read.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Betty and Archie at middle school.</em>
</p><p>The last picture was taken at the prom night, several years ago, showing him in a smoking and Betty in her pink dress right beside him, smiling into the camera. How happy she was… and how sad that night ended.</p><p>Before he could think about that to much, the bathroom door opened and a smiling Betty was walking into the room, hair still a little bit wet, dressed in an all grey pajamas.</p><p>“Hey”, she greeted him, blue eyes on him while she sat down beside him. “Are you staying tonight?”</p><p>Years ago, he would have laughed about this question, but since last June he was glad when she asked him to stay with her.</p><p>“Of course,” he replied with a soft smile.</p><p>So they fell in their routine, talking until it was nearly morning and holding each other like it was some sort of unspoken thing between them. He wondered if they would ever speak about the intimacy they shared, grabbing each other’s hand whenever some dark moments from the past got to them.</p><p>He never asked what exactly she thought about when she was laying in his arms, suddenly holding onto him as her life depended on it, gripping his shirt so tight he thought it could tear apart any second. He just knew that she was having bad dreams sometimes and that the only thing he could do for her was being there when she woke up, wiping the tears away.</p><p>“Veronica will visit me tomorrow”, she mumbled against his chest at some point past midnight.</p><p>He thought she was asleep by now because she didn’t say a word for a while. He turned to her, watched her face in the white moonlight shining through her window, saw how the stars from outside somehow found their way into her eyes, starring back at him.</p><p>“How do you feel about that?”, he asked with a low voice.</p><p>“I don’t know…”. Her hand was laying on his chest, fingertips tapping up and down, dancing in the moonlight. “So much happened. So much changed these past months.”</p><p>
  <em>“I know”.</em>
</p><p>Silence followed their words, breaking over them like the night some hours ago.</p><p>“Arch… I know I don’t say it very often… but thank you”. Her voice was nearly a whisper, fingertips stopped their dance as she spoke. “You… you helped me so much in this time and I don’t know how I would have survived all of this without you”.</p><p>He lowered his head, was catching her eyes with his, thinking about how wrong she was with this. She got it backwards. He should have been the one thanking her instead.</p><p>A single tear fell from her eyes, rolling down her face and somehow, he knew.</p><p>He knew what to do.</p><p>So he thanked the voice in the back of his head, telling him what to do, caught her hand on his chest in his own, closed his eyes and did something he should have done a long time ago.</p><p><em>He kissed her</em>.</p><p>She was surprised as his lips found hers, slowly closing her eyes. It was unexpected.</p><p>He felt the tears on her face just like she felt the hesitation in his actions and before any of them could really understand what was happening, their lips parted again.</p><p>She starred at him with shocked eyes, trying to express how she was feeling. “Arch…”.</p><p>“I’m sorry”. The second he spoke those two words; reality came crashing down on him.</p><p>She didn’t even have a chance to say something, he detached himself from her, nearly jumping out of her bed.</p><p>“I’m so sorry Betty…”.</p><p>
  <em>Before she could even say something, he was already out the door, taking all the warmth and love with him.</em>
</p><p> </p>
<ol>
<li><strong>December</strong></li>
</ol><p>Seeing Veronica again felt better than Betty had imagined.</p><p>She thought that having her old best friend back here in her living room may have felt awkward. Talking to her like they used to in an old, better life, reminded her of the good times that would never come back to her. Not like they used to be.</p><p>As they drank some tea, Betty was listening to all the great story’s Veronica was telling about her new college life, spilling all the details of how it felt like being in another town.</p><p>
  <em>“It’s totally different than Riverdale High”.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“The food there is kind of disgusting”.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“The guys there are just hot… there is this one boy I’ve been seeing, and Betty… wait I need to show you some pictures because wow…”.</em>
</p><p>Betty let Veronica speak for most of the time, listening with a small smile, nodding at the right moments here and there. But as the topic of boys came up, there was something that Betty wanted to ask her for a very long time.</p><p>“So… you’re talking about guys from college… so Archie and you… won’t get back together?” The question was meant to sound casual but as soon as the words left her mouth she knew Veronica heard the undertone in her voice.</p><p>A few seconds passed, brown eyes reading the insecurity from the blue ones.</p><p>“No”, the black-haired girl answered with a small smile on her lips. “You know we never wanted to try a long-distance relationship… and that didn’t change. I confess that the break up was definitely something of the hardest things I had to do in my life… and letting Archie go was something that made my heart break… and I missed him like crazy the first few weeks in Harvard…”. There was a sadness in her eyes that Betty recognized from the times she looked at herself in the mirror. The sadness of losing someone important.</p><p>“But no, Betty… my story with Archie was a beautiful gift and I’m forever grateful for that… but it’s over now and moving on was the best thing I could have done after leaving Riverdale behind”.</p><p>“But… how did you move on after losing him? How… did you let him go? How did you know that it was time… time to move on?”</p><p>She tried not to get to emotional talking about this, but Betty could feel the tears building up in her eyes, ready to roll down her cheeks any moment.</p><p>“Betty…”. Veronica reached for her hand, looking in her eyes with such a warm feeling that Betty didn’t know she missed until she got it back in this moment. “Listen to me. Moving on doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the past behind. It’s not about trying to forget what happened, it’s about trying to remember the good things that passed your way. You must hold on to them. Move on from the bad things in your past, take the good that is left and move on to something even better.”</p><p>The next thing she felt were Veronicas arms, wrapped around her, holding her in a tight hug.</p><p>“I love you, V.”, she mumbles, smiling over her shoulder as the tears fell down her cheeks.</p><p>“I love you too, B”.</p><p>As they let go of each other, Veronica was smiling at her.</p><p>“He never really stopped; you know?” To Bettys questioning look, Veronica added: “Loving you. Archie never stopped loving you… maybe he didn’t recognize it a few years ago… but I did. I guess I always knew you two would find your way together eventually”.</p><p>“Veronica…”.</p><p>“It’s okay”. Veronica was reaching for her teacup again, taking a sip of the hot peppermint. “Actually, I am happy about this… and don’t even try to deny it, I can see by the look in your eyes that I’m right about all of this”.</p><p>
  <em>That was the first time that Betty recognized that she never really fell out of love with Archie Andrews.</em>
</p><p>And now that she knew about those feelings that have long been buried inside her, she didn’t know how to act or even think about them.</p><p>Talking to Veronica was one thing. It was much simpler that she thought it would be and sharing her thoughts and feelings with her old friend was something she cherished very deeply.</p><p>But as the day went by and Veronica disappeared out of her front door into the night, she left Betty with a million thoughts in her head.</p><p> </p><p>It was the first night in a long time that Archie wasn’t beside her, as Betty climbed into her bed, starring at the dark ceiling. And trying to sleep without him by her side was something that felt so much harder than it should be.</p><p>She missed his arms around her, holding her without waiting for her to ask for it. And she couldn't deny that it surprised her that he kissed her last night. That wasn't something she was thinking about, when it happened. It wasn't something she had in mind, laying with him here. But that couldn't stop the warm shiver that ran down her skin or the soft smile on her lips whenever she thought about it.</p><p>It wasn't the first time they kissed. They did it as children plenty of times.</p><p>They kissed in the night when they both haunted the Black Hood.</p><p>But yesterday... yesterday felt different. It was something light... something pure.</p><p>
  <em>Something she never expected to feel again in her life.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>After turning around on her sheets a thousand times, trying to sleep and getting the loud thoughts out of her head, she gave up.</p><p>It was nearly dawn as Betty climbed out of her bed, wrapping her blanked around her to brush of the cold she felt because of sleeping alone in a bed that wasn’t just hers anymore.</p><p>She followed the moonlight, walking on naked feet, stumbling to the window just like a voice was pulling her towards it.</p><p>
  <em>Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on Archie’s window.</em>
</p><p>It took her some time to recognize how slow she was breathing, how cold the air felt around her… or how alone she was.</p><p><strong><em>I’m so screwed</em></strong>, she thought as she stared at the window of the boy she loved as long as she could remember.</p><p>Her hand reached for her cellphone, fingers lingering over Archie’s name.</p><p>
  <em>She could call him.</em>
</p><p>He would be there for her. He would come over, even though he ran out of her room last night, not talking to her since then, trying to avoid her at any cost.</p><p>With trembling hands, she put down her phone, letting it fall to the ground.</p><p>
  <em>“You are so perfect. I’m not good enough for you. I’ll never be good enough for you”.</em>
</p><p>His words echoed through this cold December night, letting a cold smile appear on Bettys face.</p><p>After all this time it wasn’t Archie Andrews, who wasn't good enough. It was Betty Cooper who felt like, she didn’t deserve any happiness in her life… including the love of her best friend.</p><p>How could she deserve something this good... this pure? After all the bad things she has done, after all the messed up stuff and drama... How could she deserve to be happy again?</p><p>“I don’t deserve this”, she mumbled, starring through the glass to a window that never felt more closed than tonight.</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t deserve you”.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really hope you guys liked it... It would mean a lot to me if you could leave a comment so I can know what to do better! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. You have to let go to love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He knew that he started to fall for her, the moment he started sleeping in her bed. Hugging her in the night, her arms wrapped around him like she was holding on to him for dear life… it broke his heart to see her this way. And still… still it kept healing his own pain, night by night. </p><p>He didn’t really recognize that he fell for Betty because he kind of did it his whole life.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <ol>
<li><em>December</em></li>
</ol><p>Snowflake after snowflake clung to Archie Andrews silhouette as he walked through the night, crossing the empty streets of Riverdale, trying not to slip on the icy ground underneath his feet.</p><p>Walking the way from Pop’s to his house was something he did what felt like over a million times.</p><p>But today was different.</p><p>He wasn’t walking to his own house. He was walking to Bettys.</p><p>Well, it wasn’t even walking anymore. At this point you could say that Archie was running down the streets, his own breath coming out in a fast, heavy rhythm, the cold December air holding on to him with an icy grab.</p><p>Talking to Veronica just minutes ago was like a waking call to him. Maybe it was something he waited for a long time and didn’t even knew it until now.</p><p>Seeing the dark-haired girl again, made him realize that his love for her doesn’t belong to his future. It belongs to his past.</p><p>Loving Veronica was something good, something passioned. Being with her made him fall in love for the first time, showing him what it meant to love and be loved.</p><p>But all that felt like years ago. Like it belonged to another lifetime… to another version of him.</p><p>Since Jughead died and Veronica left Riverdale, it felt like Archie was somehow holding his breath, trying to ignore the changes around him, trying to hold onto a life that didn’t belonged to him anymore.</p><p>It was like he was living in some sort of dream land, living day by day, trying to get through the weeks of loneliness and anger.</p><p>That all changed when he turned to Betty, sharing his pain with hers, letting her in like no one else in the last few months. That may sound exaggerated but seeing Betty again and reconnecting with his best friend saved his life in the last summer.  And after all this last months, it was more than clear to him that spending time with Betty again shook something loose that he didn’t even knew existed. </p><p>As a kid love was something insignificant to him. Something you could feel for anyone, if you wanted.</p><p>Back then he didn’t know that proposing to Betty in second grade had so much more to do with real love, than he thought.  </p><p>But today is different.  </p><p><em>I love her. I really love her. </em> </p><p>Maybe today isn’t the first day that he’s admitting this to himself.  His thoughts keep coming back to this one day… the day when he invited her for breakfast at Halloween. The day when he heard something, that he hadn’t heard for far too long… <em>her laugh. </em>She laughed when he burned the pancakes, joking about how ridiculous he looked with the pan in his hands and all he thought about was how damn beautiful she looked when she smiled. And how much he missed seeing her laugh.  </p><p>He knew that he started to fall for her, the moment he started sleeping in her bed. Hugging her in the night, her arms wrapped around him like she was holding on to him for dear life… it broke his heart to see her this way. And still… still it kept healing his own pain, night by night.  </p><p><em>H</em><em>e didn’t really recognize that he fell for Betty because he kind of did it his whole life. </em> </p><p>Being in a relationship with Veronica buried those undiscovered feelings deep down where he couldn’t reach them… couldn’t feel them.  Sleeping by her side, helping her to recover from such a big loss was something that didn’t just go past him.  </p><p>He could feel it.                                                   </p><p>He could feel how he loved being by her side again, just like in the old times, spending every day with her.  </p><p>He could feel how his own feelings of loss and sadness seemed to disappear when she was around him.  </p><p><em>He could feel how his heart ached for her, when she wasn’t by his side. </em> </p><p>And still… after all this time and uncountable moments between them… kissing her yesterday felt wrong and right at the same time. Maybe because he saw her shocked eyes right after… her eyes wide awake, starring at him like he was a ghost. Or because he felt guilty for wanting something so beautiful in a world where everything good turned into something bad sooner or later.  </p><p>But now that he talked to Veronica, he was sure that there was another thing that held him back all this time from wanting love again. It was the feeling of betraying Ronnie. Sure, they broke up last summer. And yes, they both agreed to move on to other people and to not play this long-distance relationship thing that never really worked out for anyone.  </p><p>But now that he sat across from her at this table at “Pop’s”, looking in her soft brown eyes, he realized since last summer, he was waiting for his old life to come back to him. Maybe that’s the mistake he made… waiting for something that will never come back.  But tonight, he realized that he doesn’t need to wait any longer for something old to come back to him. He doesn’t need to feel bad for wanting something new. He owes nothing to Veronica or to his past. Their story was told and finished for a while now.  </p><p>It was like he finally opened his eyes and saw what he really wanted… and what he really waited for this whole time.  </p><p>And suddenly it felt like he could breath again, letting go the air inside his lungs that felt like he was holding in since last June.   </p><p> </p><p>Archie’s heart is racing as he turns into his own street, taking the familiar steps down the road, head full with thoughts and emotions, whirling around like the winter wind around him. He is breathless as he stops before Bettys house, walking up the stairs and his heart breaks a bit while the memories from the last prom night come back to him.  </p><p>
  <em>“I’ll never be good enough for you”. </em>
</p><p>Well, maybe after all this time… he is good enough. And if not, he prays to got that he will be someday.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Betty is already wearing her pajama, wrapped up in her sleeping coat while she’s standing in her kitchen, getting a glass of water before going to sleep. As if she could sleep without him by her side…</p><p><em>You’re such a mess</em>, she’s thinking to herself, after catching her reflection in the glass in her hands.</p><p>
  <em>Looking like a mess and don’t even feel bad about it… a real queen, Betty. </em>
</p><p>She puts down the empty glass and rubs her head, walking back to the living room. She is just about to go upstairs, as she recognizes the veranda light at the front door lighting up.</p><p>She freezes, listening for some kind of noise, something that will tell her what or who wants to visit her at this unholy time.</p><p>A few seconds go by and nothing is happening. In slowly steps she is walking to the door, standing on her tiptoes to look through the peep lock.</p><p>Her heart skips a beat as she sees the shadow of a man, walking up the stairs from the street to her front yard. As soon as the silhouette slowly passes the magnolia tree and the light falls on red hair she knows who it is… and just like that the fear inside her is replaced with nervousness.</p><p>
  <em>“Archie…”. </em>
</p><p>She hesitates before opening the door. Why is he here? Why is he out there in the snow, looking scared to come any nearer to the house?</p><p>
  <em>And why can’t she shake the feeling of guilt and sadness off her shoulders? </em>
</p><p>While counting to three and taking slow and deep breaths, she slowly opens the front door.</p><p> </p><p>Her hands are shaking as she steps outside, shivering as the cold air is climbing up her legs.</p><p>Archie stops walking as soon as he sees her standing there. Their eyes lock and his feet stop, keeping a wide distance between them.</p><p>“Betty…”. His voice sounds lost as he looks at her.</p><p>It’s weird talking to each other after the last two days of silence between them. The last time they saw each other, they kissed… and it feels like the image of this moment is hanging in the ice-cold air, right between them.</p><p>“What are you doing here, Archie?” It takes everything in Bettys power to speak these words with a neutral tone, but she knows at the look in his eyes that he can hear her voice shaking.</p><p>He takes a step towards her while she crosses her arms in front of her chest, shielding herself from the cold.</p><p>“I came here to apologize…”. His words mix with the snowflakes in the air, whirl around in this winter night like a Christmas wonder. “Kissing you two days ago wasn’t something I had planned, Betty”. He takes another, hesitating step in her direction.</p><p>The wind is howling, bringing another swing of snow and ice, whirling around in the dark around them and the only thing they can hear is the storm around them and their fast heartbeats, pulsating in their body’s, silently ringing in their ears.</p><p>“But now I realize that I’m not sorry”. Another slow step forward.</p><p>He is only 5 feet away and she can see how breathless he really is, messed up hair from the wind and snow, but still with a crooked smile on his lips.</p><p>Watching him is distracting her from the things he just said, and she is surprised as he adds: “I’m not sorry that I kissed you, Betty”.</p><p>After a beat her blue eyes meet his brown ones and an amazed look appears in the shadows on her face.</p><p>“Archie, I…”, she begins, trying to answer to his unbelievable words, but he interrupts her the second she opens her mouth to speak.</p><p>“No, no… let me finish this. I need you to hear this”. He takes another step in her direction and she knows if he gets any closer, she could touch his chest if she would reach out for him.</p><p>“I know this last year was a <em>mess</em>. We lost so much… <em>you</em> lost so much, and you have to know that seeing you in pain was…”. That’s the first time he looks away, turning his head away from her, eyes on the dark neighborhood around them. “… seeing you in pain was something that nearly <em>broke</em> me Betty”.</p><p>Slowly his eyes turn back to her, so soft and tender that it takes her breath away.</p><p>“But Betty… you said to me that you needed to thank me, for being there for you.” He shakes his head in disbelieve, a little laugh coming from his lips. “And now I’m telling you <em>that I should be the one thanking you</em>. You have no idea how alive it made me feel, being by your side the last few months… I may sound like a total fool and <em>god</em>, I know I’m a jerk for telling you this <em>now</em> and not the last time we stood at this exact same spot, years ago at prom night…”.</p><p>She looks around and her heart drops as she realizes where exactly they’re standing. Memories of a night that she tried to forget so many times are breaking over her and a numb feeling is rising in her chest.</p><p>He knows that she remembers it from the look on her face and he takes another step forward, leaving just an arm’s length distance between them.</p><p>“So, I’m saying this again… I’m not sorry that I kissed you”. A little smile is appearing in the curve of his lips, his eyes on hers the entire time.</p><p>“And no, I’m not sorry that I spent so much time with you this last months”.</p><p>She watches the shadows in his face, appearing from the dim streetlight down the street, spots the many snowflakes that got caught up in his hair and clothes.</p><p>
  <em>“And… I’m not sorry that I am in love with you, Betty Cooper”. </em>
</p><p>She could feel it. She could feel how somehow the whole universe started spinning again. How the darkness, the snow and even the coldness couldn’t reach her anymore…</p><p>Betty is looking at the person she knew for her whole life and finally everything is starting to make sense.</p><p>It feels like he is waiting for something, some kind of reaction from her, scared to cross an invisible line without her approval.</p><p>For a few seconds the silence is unbearable, surrounding them with an echo from the past.</p><p>Betty remembers the heart break that she went through at this place years ago and somehow, she can’t even remember what it felt like back then. The only things she is feeling are the eyes of Archie, lingering on her the entire time, his warm presence right in front of her.</p><p>“You know…”, she starts, a small smile appearing on her lips while she starts to speak. “If you would have let me finish my sentence a few minutes ago, you wouldn’t have to tell me all those things… because…”.</p><p>She hesitates for a second but as his gaze meets hers, she just knows that this is the right thing to do. So, she speaks the truth, smiling at him with pure happiness in her eyes: “… I probably would have told you the exact same thing, Archie…”.</p><p>There is a fraction of a second that she can see his reaction to her words, how his eyes light up in disbelieve and joy and the smile on his face, shining in the moonlight.</p><p>And just like that he is standing right in front of her, crossing the line they drew over the last years, setting her body under electricity without even touching her. It’s like she can hear his relief in the slow breaths he’s taking… can feel all his hesitation and concern drifting away in this very moment.</p><p>The next thing she feels is his hand lifting her chin and his soft lips<em> finally</em> meeting hers, moving soft and gentle, letting all the drama and horror and darkness of the last months disappear.</p><p>
  <em>There is only Archie.</em>
</p><p>Archie that is smiling into the kiss.</p><p>Archie that is putting his arms around her, lifting her up to reach her better, his fingers pressing through the thin fabric of her nightgown, probably leaving marks all over her body.</p><p>That kiss means so much more than just touching each other. It bears happiness and joy, hunger and over all the undeniable love between them two.</p><p>It feels new, feels different, feels better than she had imagined all those years back then. And jet it is the most natural and simple thing they ever did.</p><p>She can finally <em>feel</em> him, <em>touch</em> him, <em>be</em> with him and she is so happy that she could cry.</p><p>“Betty… you’re shivering”.</p><p>Her eyes are still closed, and her lips are formed into a small smile as he parts his lips from hers, holding her just so close that he can look at her face.</p><p>“Hmm?”, she mumbles a silent question, slowly opening her eyes, showing him the light inside them that he was the reason for.</p><p>A laugh escapes his mouth as he hugs her even tighter, shielding her from the cold. “You’re gonna get sick… it’s freezing.”</p><p>She nearly laughs about how he worries about such irrelevant things in a moment where she doesn’t even bother about getting ill anymore. There are frozen tears on her cheeks but the only thing she feels is the electricity between them two and the warm emotion of joy pulsating through her veins.</p><p>“I don’t care”. Her voice is just a soft noise and her whole body vibrates against his as he laughs about her answer, feeling his lips for a brief moment on the top of her hair.</p><p>She knows he is about to protest so she reaches up and puts her hand on his cheek, fingers lingering over his skin, brushing away some loose snowflakes.</p><p>There are so much things Betty wants to say to him.</p><p>
  <em>I’m so glad that you are here.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’m so happy right now. </em>
</p><p><em>I love you so much</em>.</p><p>And somehow it seems like Archie can hear her words without her ever saying them out loud.</p><p>He answers with a kiss, pressing his lips on hers, this time without hesitation or a second thought. She feels how defeated he is, can feel his devastation as a soft groan comes out of his throat, setting her whole body on fire.</p><p>They fought so long and now they are finally here.</p><p>Finally <em>home.</em></p><p>As his arms close around her and she clings to him like a drowning woman to a buoy, fingers buried in his almost wet hair, smiling into the kiss as they press to each other – she doesn’t even feel the cold night air around her. There is only Archie that keeps her warm with his body and emotions, shielding her from the darkness like it was his only purpose in this life.</p><p>There is no fear, there is no pain or guilt.</p><p>There is only Archie and the freezing temperatures that will most likely make her ill for a few days.</p><p>But she couldn’t care less… for the first time Betty Cooper felt like, she was finally home.</p><p> </p><p>After years, Betty and Archie found their way to each other.</p><p>
  <em>And somehow that was everything. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really hope you guys liked this chapter and how this story ended - and how Betty&amp;Archies story began :)<br/>This was my first Fanfiction in english and about Riverdale... and writing this was soo much fun!<br/>I think I'll write some other storys about Betty and Archie in the future because from what I have seen there aren't many Barchie FFs out there :(</p><p>It would really mean a lot to me if you could leave a comment!! :)<br/>Whoever reads this - have a lovely day! xoxo</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi guys! It's my first story that I wrote in english and it would mean a lot if you could leave a comment on how I could do things better!! :)</p><p>I also just uploaded my first Betty&amp;Archie video on YouTube. Here is the link if you want to watch it:<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcQadu7X764</p><p>Whoever reads this - have a lovely day!! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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